What Do You Need to Clean-Out From Your Closet?

As in seasons past, I found myself in the middle of my closet straightening, rearranging and organizing what is good, what doesn’t fit and what I simply don’t wear anymore. I am being honest when I say I have way too many clothes, but part of the problem was all the various sizes I have been over the years. When going through my closet, I have always kept this array of different sizes “Just in Case”.

“Just in Case” had left me with ten sizes of various pieces of clothing which can clog up any closet. I not only had clothes hanging, but I also had clothes in bins, clothes in other closets and even clothes on Hubs’ side of the closet. As I sat in my closet feeling totally frustrated by my surroundings and feeling like everything was closing in on me, a still small voice whispered, “What does, ‘Just in Case’ mean?”

I thought about it for a few minutes and tears welled up in my eyes as I could only think of one answer. I kept those clothes, “Just in Case,” I gained my weight back. I was giving myself permission to fail. Once, I admitted my weakness, my mind began to race asking myself these questions? Why would I do that? Why would I want to set myself up to fail? I knew God had been doing an incredible work in my heart and soul about becoming healthy physically, spiritually and emotionally. The questions became more personal as I heard a still small voice say, “Sheila why does your faith lack in this area?” My answer was simple. I have tried and failed many times. I’m tired of disappointing God, my family, my friends and myself! I thought I had given over every aspect of my life, but somehow I had kept this part of my life in a closet tucked away. Now it needed to be cleaned out for good!

I admit I was tired of facing this closet. I’m tired of how frustrated it made me feel and I am tired of looking at the clothes of who I used to be instead of being assured in who I was created to be. It was time for a mind make-over. If I expect others to see the work God is doing in me, then I have to see God in me too! I didn’t need to keep these clothes any longer. I was choosing to keep these clothes because I lacked faith. They represented not allowing God full reign over this part of my life. OUCH! I don’t need to keep those clothes any more than I need to keep an old toothbrush “Just in Case”. They are both toxic.

I can relate to Paul when he writes in Romans 7:15-17 (NLT)
I don’t really understand myself, for I want to do what is right, but I don’t do it. Instead, I do what I hate. But if I know that what I am doing is wrong, this shows that I agree that the law is good. So I am not the one doing wrong; it is sin living in me that does it.

There are so many areas of my life I have given over to Him, and yet, this one area seemed to keep tripping me up! I was allowing myself to get tangled up in the enemy’s web of deceit. It was time once and for all to purge this mentality from my soul and clean my closet. As I began to tear things off the hanger, the enemy kept whispering, “You are going to regret this. What happens when you gain your weight again?” “You should quit and grab something to eat!” I yelled back, “What happens to you when the Lord comes back for me?” There were no words, just complete silence. I let out a sigh of relief and the tears began to flow. When it was all over, I had four garbage bags full of clothes and a heart of peace. These clothes represented the lies of the enemy that had been weighing me down. For the first time in a long time I felt free. I looked in my closet knowing it no longer would hold power over me.

Maybe, you don’t face a clothes closet as your nemesis as I did, but living in a sinful world there are constantly things trying to bring us down to make us stumble and fall. As believers, we can live in the forgiveness and grace of God. It doesn’t mean we do everything perfectly, but we strive to grow in our faith and discern the voices that are speaking into our lives, good or bad. The enemy’s lies are not my reality and they are not yours. None of us have to live in the mentality of “Just in Case”. You don’t have to keep anything that no longer fits who God made you to be. Get rid of it and the power it has over you. Walk in the freedom and newness of your life with Christ.

Today, I am stronger physically, emotionally and spiritually than I was a year ago. It doesn’t mean I have arrived or that I still don’t struggle. However, what it does mean is God is continuing His work in my life as He continues to mold and shape me into the woman He has always intended for me to be. “Just in Case”, you didn’t know or forgot, He wants to do the same for you!
When we choose to hang on to the old, there is no room for God to give us anything new Share on X

2 Corinthians 5:17-19 (NLT)
This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun! And all of this is a gift from God, who brought us back to himself through Christ. And God has given us this task of reconciling people to him.